The present invention relates generally to the feed mixing art and more specifically to an improved feed dispenser for conveying mixed feed from a mixing hopper to a cattle feeder.
The feed mixing art has developed from agricultural and biological studies which have indicated that a properly balanced diet is necessary in cattle feeding for optimum weight gain and improved meat texture. Accordingly, it has been necessary to mix various natural grains with additional nutrients, fortifiers, vitamins and minerals to formulate a uniformly dispersed mixed feed. Various mechanical means have been developed for accomplishing this purpose. Some feed mixers of the prior art have been mounted on a truck bed in order to utilize a single mobile apparatus, both for mixing the feed and for transporting it to the point of consumption, the feed lot. Upon transporting the mixed feed to the feed lot it is then necessary to dispense a controlled amount of mixed feed into the cattle feeders. Presently, the approach to cattle feeding technology is to maintain each steer being fed within a confined area for maximum efficiency of growth rate and optimum meat texture. That confinement has necessitated the use of individual feeders, as the cattle may not freely roam to feed from a communal feeder. In those circumstances, efficient and automatic dispensing of the mixed feed becomes especially important.
In the prior art, several different mechanized feed dispensers for use in connection with a mobile feed mixer have been developed. However, certain difficulties have been associated with such prior art feed dispensers. In some cases an excessive amount of manual control has been necessary for efficient dispensing of the feed. The design of other feed dispensers of the prior art has made them suitable for feed dispensing, but unsuitable for use in connection with a mobile feed mixer, which has limited their usefulness.
Accordingly, it is an object of the improved feed dispenser apparatus of the present invention materially to alleviate the difficulties associated with the prior art devices.
It is an additional object of the improved feed dispenser apparatus of the present invention to provide for a maximum of automatic operation and a minimum of manual control.
It is a further object of the improved feed dispenser apparatus of the present invention to provide means for automatically communicating the feed mixing hopper with an auger drive and for automatically extending a feed spout for directing the flow of feed into the cattle feeders.